Interlanguage pragmatics research has contributed a great deal to our understanding of L2 pragmatic use but less to our understanding of L2 pragmatic development, although developmental issues are also its primary research goal. Additionally, previous studies have been confined to a rather small set of speech acts, under-researching such face-damaging acts as criticizing and responding to criticism even though these may be more challenging for L2 learners. The present study examines pragmatic development in the use of criticizing and responding to criticism by a group of Vietnamese EFL learners with a view to shedding light on the pragmatic properties of these speech acts. IL data were collected from 12 high beginners, 12 intermediate learners, and 12 advanced learners, via a written questionnaire and role play, and analyzed with reference to L1 and L2 baseline data collected from 12 Vietnamese and 12 Australian NSs via the same methods. Metapragmatic data were collected via retrospective interview. Four main findings are discussed. Firstly, the learners criticized and responded to criticism very differently from the NSs. This difference might have adversely affected how the learners negotiated their intentions expressed via speech act realizations. Secondly, there was little evidence of any proficiency effect on the learners' use of these two speech acts. This was probably because pragmatic development was limited by the EFL context, as the learners had had insufficient exposure to the target norms. Thirdly, there was evidence of pragmatic transfer in the learners' production. This transfer was affected by the learners' perception of L1-L2 proximity and assumption of L2 reasonableness. Finally, the retrospective interviews with learners suggested four main sources of influence on their pragmatic decision-making: insufficient L2 pragmatic knowledge, transfer of communication and learning, processing difficulty, and learning experience. The present study lends support to a number of SLA theories, including Bialystoks' processing model and Meisel et al.'s complexification hypothesis. It found that the major challenge for learners in L2 pragmatic acquisition is to gain control over processing. It also found an acquisitional order of modality markers which was dependent upon their structural complexity and the processing demands involved in producing them. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

Interlanguage pragmatics research has contributed a great deal to our understanding of L2 pragmatic use but less to our understanding of L2 pragmatic development, although developmental issues are also its primary research goal. Additionally, previous studies have been confined to a rather small set of speech acts, under-researching such face-damaging acts as criticizing and responding to criticism even though these may be more challenging for L2 learners. The present study examines pragmatic development in the use of criticizing and responding to criticism by a group of Vietnamese EFL learners with a view to shedding light on the pragmatic properties of these speech acts. IL data were collected from 12 high beginners, 12 intermediate learners, and 12 advanced learners, via a written questionnaire and role play, and analyzed with reference to L1 and L2 baseline data collected from 12 Vietnamese and 12 Australian NSs via the same methods. Metapragmatic data were collected via retrospective interview. Four main findings are discussed. Firstly, the learners criticized and responded to criticism very differently from the NSs. This difference might have adversely affected how the learners negotiated their intentions expressed via speech act realizations. Secondly, there was little evidence of any proficiency effect on the learners' use of these two speech acts. This was probably because pragmatic development was limited by the EFL context, as the learners had had insufficient exposure to the target norms. Thirdly, there was evidence of pragmatic transfer in the learners' production. This transfer was affected by the learners' perception of L1-L2 proximity and assumption of L2 reasonableness. Finally, the retrospective interviews with learners suggested four main sources of influence on their pragmatic decision-making: insufficient L2 pragmatic knowledge, transfer of communication and learning, processing difficulty, and learning experience. The present study lends support to a number of SLA theories, including Bialystoks' processing model and Meisel et al.'s complexification hypothesis. It found that the major challenge for learners in L2 pragmatic acquisition is to gain control over processing. It also found an acquisitional order of modality markers which was dependent upon their structural complexity and the processing demands involved in producing them. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

Master of Arts / Department of Modern Languages / Amy L. Hubbell / This portfolio presents demonstrably proven effective guidelines for classroom activities in accordance with the widely accepted, communicative approach to teaching foreign languages. Stemming from the author's own personal experience with eighth-grade French students, these examples are based on the standard principles of Communicative Language Teaching. As graphically and comprehensively illustrated in this portfolio with student-friendly, image- and table-enhanced templates, the author identifies and explains how structured input and output activities might be developed to encompass the four components of teaching a language: namely, listening; reading; writing; and speaking. Beyond the objective of showing the usefulness of this teaching/learning method through examples of structured activities, the author augments the portfolio with valuable associated teacher's materials including a current professional teaching CV, a philosophy of teaching statement, a working syllabus, a classroom management plan, and a rationale for the activities included -- all of which are applicable to typical classroom environment situations. These carefully constructed worksheets and visuals are amply and appropriately interspersed throughout the sectional contents of the portfolio, thereby adding to the understanding of the textual descriptions of recommended teacher and student activities. In this manner, the author has documented a tested and practical set of working materials designed to promote the facility, ease and enthusiasm of learning languages from both the teacher and student points-of-view and needs. The compartmentalized contents of this portfolio, organized into 13 sections as listed in the table of contents, comprise a wide range of actual classroom activities that evolved from the author's daily teaching experiences. The portfolio instructions and examples also incorporate the well-founded and well-known teaching techniques documented in the professional literature as cited throughout the narrative text. For this purpose then, this portfolio delivers a complete and thorough description of possible teacher and student activities in various foreign language classroom scenarios.

Master of Arts / Department of Modern Languages / Douglas K. Benson / Este trabajo está diseñado para que los estudiantes aprendan cultura al mismo tiempo que utilizan el idioma. Además contiene un programa pedagógico que incluye la historia, las metas y los modelos conformes con los National Standard for Foreign Language Learning para enseñar una lengua extranjera. También incluye el modelo teórico del Krashen, su metodología y su aplicación dentro de este reporte, dándole un gran énfasis al Input Comprensible, para que los estudiantes tengan éxito en la adquisición de un idioma. Dentro de este trabajo los estudiantes tendrán diferentes formas de input como son la auditiva y de lectura. Contiene una sección teórica y practica de cultura que incluye modelos de enseñanza tanto como la historia de las posadas, los cuales le servirán al maestro para su aplicación. Tiene una sección específica de estrategias acerca de cómo enseñar cultura y la importancia que tiene que el estudiante la aprenda dentro de un salón de clases. El maestro conocerá el proceso de la aculturación que experimenta el estudiante para comprender su papel fundamental en la fase de adquisición de un idioma. Incluye una sección de gramática estructurada según la teoría de Lee and Van Patten y su aplicación dentro de la clase, con actividades tanto escritas como comunicativas que ayudaran a los estudiantes para su práctica El maestro utilizará el modelo de circunlocución para la enseñanza del vocabulario, el cual tiene actividades dinámicas con toda la clase y en grupos, que les ayudará a los estudiantes en su comprensión. En la parte final y como resultado de este reporte, el estudiante tendrá la oportunidad de escenificar las posadas navideñas para toda la escuela, además de adquirir conocimiento cultural. Los posibles resultados académicos de este trabajo para los estudiantes se reportarán a modo de conclusiones.

An increasing number of newcomer English language learners (ELLs) in Canadian high schools are from refugee backgrounds, have a history of interrupted formal schooling (IFS), and do not have alphabetic and numerical literacy skills in their first language (MacKay & Tavares, 2005; Yau, 1995). While ELLs with IFS pose challenges for Canadian high schools and teachers, the struggles faced by these learners to integrate and succeed in their new educational environments are far more complex. This study aimed to gain insight into how two teachers are attempting to support the academic, linguistic and social integration of ELLs with IFS. Through classroom observations, interviews and document analysis, I examined the envisioned, enacted and experienced stages of two Manitoba high school programs that were created specifically for ELLs from refugee backgrounds who have disrupted or limited formal schooling and are at high risk of academic failure. The findings from this study revealed how teacher agency and divisional as well as administrative input significantly alter current and future learning opportunities for ELLs with IFS. The unique circumstances of each school’s Intensive Newcomer Support classrooms, i.e. student population, support services, teaching practices and administrative decisions, were found to impact the design and delivery of each school’s program and thus the experiences of the students. This study identifies how two teachers in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, attempted to provide a meaningful and relevant education for their ELL with IFS students. It is the researcher’s hope and intent that this study will inform educational policy, teacher education and educational development initiatives both in Canada and in the various international contexts that serve refugees.

An increasing number of newcomer English language learners (ELLs) in Canadian high schools are from refugee backgrounds, have a history of interrupted formal schooling (IFS), and do not have alphabetic and numerical literacy skills in their first language (MacKay & Tavares, 2005; Yau, 1995). While ELLs with IFS pose challenges for Canadian high schools and teachers, the struggles faced by these learners to integrate and succeed in their new educational environments are far more complex. This study aimed to gain insight into how two teachers are attempting to support the academic, linguistic and social integration of ELLs with IFS. Through classroom observations, interviews and document analysis, I examined the envisioned, enacted and experienced stages of two Manitoba high school programs that were created specifically for ELLs from refugee backgrounds who have disrupted or limited formal schooling and are at high risk of academic failure. The findings from this study revealed how teacher agency and divisional as well as administrative input significantly alter current and future learning opportunities for ELLs with IFS. The unique circumstances of each school’s Intensive Newcomer Support classrooms, i.e. student population, support services, teaching practices and administrative decisions, were found to impact the design and delivery of each school’s program and thus the experiences of the students. This study identifies how two teachers in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, attempted to provide a meaningful and relevant education for their ELL with IFS students. It is the researcher’s hope and intent that this study will inform educational policy, teacher education and educational development initiatives both in Canada and in the various international contexts that serve refugees.

The purpose of this study is to draw together various perspectives into a coherent framework that will identify relative importance of respective factors and developmental changes in accounting for second language (L2) writing. A total of 517 Taiwanese EFL students from four educational levels were recruited for inquiring into the development of EFL writing. Quantitative analyses of writing tasks, vocabulary tests and questionnaires were used to describe and explain the multi-faceted nature of EFL writing in terms of the likely influencing factors. Initially the contributions of respective factors were examined separately. Rhetorical analyses of students' English and Chinese compositions showed there were co-existing positive and negative influences of first language (L1) rhetoric on English writing. Analyses of lexical use and errors in English compositions, plus results from the assessment of two vocabulary tests, indicated that lexical and grammatical knowledge was a critical factor in explaining English writing. Results of students' Chinese writing abilities in relation to English writing proficiency revealed that the transfer of Chinese writing expertise was conditioned by a developed Chinese expertise and a lack of English writing experiences. Findings from the written-speech analysis of English essays suggested a transitional development whereby spoken language was used. Analyses of questionnaires indicated that EFL writing was positively related to attention on the macro-level structure and negatively related to micro-level concerns. Subsequently, integrated analyses were conducted to examine the interplay among these factors. The shared variability of factors contributed a much larger portion to the explanation of developmental changes, suggesting that the development of EFL writing involves the interaction among influencing factors much more than the individual factors themselves. The unique contributions (independent of other interrelated variables) showed that essay length outweighed the other predictors, suggesting a need for instruction to develop the skill of fluency. A determining factor that consistently accounted for English writing performance was the students' levels of English learning and English writing experiences. The implication is that, particularly in the context where writing is neglected for beginning or intermediate learners, there is a need to revitalize writing as a communicative skill in the EFL curriculum. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

The purpose of this study is to draw together various perspectives into a coherent framework that will identify relative importance of respective factors and developmental changes in accounting for second language (L2) writing. A total of 517 Taiwanese EFL students from four educational levels were recruited for inquiring into the development of EFL writing. Quantitative analyses of writing tasks, vocabulary tests and questionnaires were used to describe and explain the multi-faceted nature of EFL writing in terms of the likely influencing factors. Initially the contributions of respective factors were examined separately. Rhetorical analyses of students' English and Chinese compositions showed there were co-existing positive and negative influences of first language (L1) rhetoric on English writing. Analyses of lexical use and errors in English compositions, plus results from the assessment of two vocabulary tests, indicated that lexical and grammatical knowledge was a critical factor in explaining English writing. Results of students' Chinese writing abilities in relation to English writing proficiency revealed that the transfer of Chinese writing expertise was conditioned by a developed Chinese expertise and a lack of English writing experiences. Findings from the written-speech analysis of English essays suggested a transitional development whereby spoken language was used. Analyses of questionnaires indicated that EFL writing was positively related to attention on the macro-level structure and negatively related to micro-level concerns. Subsequently, integrated analyses were conducted to examine the interplay among these factors. The shared variability of factors contributed a much larger portion to the explanation of developmental changes, suggesting that the development of EFL writing involves the interaction among influencing factors much more than the individual factors themselves. The unique contributions (independent of other interrelated variables) showed that essay length outweighed the other predictors, suggesting a need for instruction to develop the skill of fluency. A determining factor that consistently accounted for English writing performance was the students' levels of English learning and English writing experiences. The implication is that, particularly in the context where writing is neglected for beginning or intermediate learners, there is a need to revitalize writing as a communicative skill in the EFL curriculum. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

The purpose of this study is to draw together various perspectives into a coherent framework that will identify relative importance of respective factors and developmental changes in accounting for second language (L2) writing. A total of 517 Taiwanese EFL students from four educational levels were recruited for inquiring into the development of EFL writing. Quantitative analyses of writing tasks, vocabulary tests and questionnaires were used to describe and explain the multi-faceted nature of EFL writing in terms of the likely influencing factors. Initially the contributions of respective factors were examined separately. Rhetorical analyses of students' English and Chinese compositions showed there were co-existing positive and negative influences of first language (L1) rhetoric on English writing. Analyses of lexical use and errors in English compositions, plus results from the assessment of two vocabulary tests, indicated that lexical and grammatical knowledge was a critical factor in explaining English writing. Results of students' Chinese writing abilities in relation to English writing proficiency revealed that the transfer of Chinese writing expertise was conditioned by a developed Chinese expertise and a lack of English writing experiences. Findings from the written-speech analysis of English essays suggested a transitional development whereby spoken language was used. Analyses of questionnaires indicated that EFL writing was positively related to attention on the macro-level structure and negatively related to micro-level concerns. Subsequently, integrated analyses were conducted to examine the interplay among these factors. The shared variability of factors contributed a much larger portion to the explanation of developmental changes, suggesting that the development of EFL writing involves the interaction among influencing factors much more than the individual factors themselves. The unique contributions (independent of other interrelated variables) showed that essay length outweighed the other predictors, suggesting a need for instruction to develop the skill of fluency. A determining factor that consistently accounted for English writing performance was the students' levels of English learning and English writing experiences. The implication is that, particularly in the context where writing is neglected for beginning or intermediate learners, there is a need to revitalize writing as a communicative skill in the EFL curriculum. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

The purpose of this study is to draw together various perspectives into a coherent framework that will identify relative importance of respective factors and developmental changes in accounting for second language (L2) writing. A total of 517 Taiwanese EFL students from four educational levels were recruited for inquiring into the development of EFL writing. Quantitative analyses of writing tasks, vocabulary tests and questionnaires were used to describe and explain the multi-faceted nature of EFL writing in terms of the likely influencing factors. Initially the contributions of respective factors were examined separately. Rhetorical analyses of students' English and Chinese compositions showed there were co-existing positive and negative influences of first language (L1) rhetoric on English writing. Analyses of lexical use and errors in English compositions, plus results from the assessment of two vocabulary tests, indicated that lexical and grammatical knowledge was a critical factor in explaining English writing. Results of students' Chinese writing abilities in relation to English writing proficiency revealed that the transfer of Chinese writing expertise was conditioned by a developed Chinese expertise and a lack of English writing experiences. Findings from the written-speech analysis of English essays suggested a transitional development whereby spoken language was used. Analyses of questionnaires indicated that EFL writing was positively related to attention on the macro-level structure and negatively related to micro-level concerns. Subsequently, integrated analyses were conducted to examine the interplay among these factors. The shared variability of factors contributed a much larger portion to the explanation of developmental changes, suggesting that the development of EFL writing involves the interaction among influencing factors much more than the individual factors themselves. The unique contributions (independent of other interrelated variables) showed that essay length outweighed the other predictors, suggesting a need for instruction to develop the skill of fluency. A determining factor that consistently accounted for English writing performance was the students' levels of English learning and English writing experiences. The implication is that, particularly in the context where writing is neglected for beginning or intermediate learners, there is a need to revitalize writing as a communicative skill in the EFL curriculum. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.